The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has made good on her promise to the Sunshine Girls that she would make them monetary gifts for their performance in the Netball World Cup in South Africa and in the first-ever netball tournament held in the Central American and Caribbean Games. 

The Ministry has disbursed a total of Six-Point-Seven Million Dollars ($6.7M) to the bank accounts of the team members in the sum of Three-Hundred-Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) for each member who went to the Netball World Cup in South Africa and One-Hundred-Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) each to those who played at the CAC Games in El Salvador. 

Minister Grange said, “This honours the committed honorarium as part of the Ministry’s Athlete Assistance Programme for the Sunshine Girls’ participation at the Netball World Cup held last year in South Africa where they got the bronze medal and the Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador where they won gold. 

Minister Grange said that the Sunshine Girls had more than earned and deserved the support that they continue to get from the Ministry and other sponsors. “They continue to make Jamaica proud as our national team members and also as in-demand international professional netball players. The eight Sunshine Girls now plying their trade in Australia currently are more than the number making up a full netball team. 

“Over the years funding support from Government has gone a long way to enable the netball development programme to produce players of the quality of the eight ladies playing in Australia and making Jamaica the country with the highest number of its netballers playing professionally abroad.  

 “Special congratulations to these ladies: Jhanielle Fowler-Nembhard; Shamerea Sterling-Humphrey, Romelda Aiken-George, Shanice Beckford, Kadi Ann Dehaney, Shimona Nelson-Jok; Latanya Wilson and Jodi Ann Ward.” 

Tricia Robinson, President of Netball Jamaica, expressed thanks on behalf of Netball Jamaica and the Sunshine Girls, saying, “Sincere gratitude for the financial gift given to our team for participation in the Netball World Cup and the CAC Games.”

The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honorable Olivia Grange, has announced that Jamaica has been elected to three important UNESCO committees, including the powerful World Heritage Committee which has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Minister Grange said it was “important that Jamaica is at the table helping to make the important decisions in the interest of the country and other Small Island Developing States. So, we take our election to these committees quite seriously and will work to amplify the voices and concerns of states like us.”

Jamaica was one of nine new members elected to the World Heritage Committee at the recent General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in Paris, France.

Jamaica’s membership to the Committee will run until 2027.  The country will be represented by Miss Debra Kay Palmer and Mrs Tracy Commock.

It is Jamaica’s second term on the World Heritage Committee, having served between 2013 and 2017 when the Blue and John Crow Mountains was inscribed on the World Heritage List.  Jamaica is currently in the process of nominating Port Royal to the List.  Jamaica also intends to nominate Seville Heritage Park to the List.

In the meantime, at the UNESCO General Conference, Jamaica was elected to four-year terms on the Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Education and Sport and the International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme.

 Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has described the national women’s senior team’s historic qualification to the knockout stage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup on Wednesday as the “proudest moment in Jamaica’s football history.”

The Reggae Girlz advanced to the round of 16 for the first time after holding Brazil to a 0-0 draw that knocked the South American women out of the competition. 

“Their hard fought and determined draw against powerhouse Brazil is most commendable. I could not help shedding a few tears of joy,” the Jamaican sports minister said in a statement.

The undefeated Reggae Girlz have yet to concede goal at the 2023 tournament having held the fifth-ranked France to a 0-0 draw in their opening match and then defeating Panama 1-0l for their first-ever victory at the World Cup.

Jamaica finished their group in second place, behind France.

In her communications with the Girlz following the match, Minister Grange congratulated the team on their performance and reminded them that the entire nation was proud and cheering for them.

Minister Grange reiterated her message which she wrote to the team on the eve of their game against France, stating, “I can never tire of telling you how much your presence on the world stage means to Jamaica and the pride we all feel when we see you donned in the national colours. We see that dreams do come true.”

She said the Reggae Girlz are a source of inspiration for Jamaica and fully deserving of the nation’s full support. “I am happy that my government has been able to support the Jamaica Football Federation and the women’s programme on yet another successful World Cup campaign,” she said.

The Government, through the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Sports Development Foundation provides a monthly subvention of J$3M (J$36M per annum) to the JFF for its programmes.

This year, the government allocated an additional J$20M specifically for the Reggae Girlz World Cup campaign, J$10M of which is to be paid directly to members of the squad under the Ministry’s Athlete Assistance Programme.

 In addition, the government insures the Reggae Girlz under the Jamaica Athlete Insurance Plan which covers all health related services including injuries and overseas emergency services up to US$100,000 per athlete.

“Our girls, particularly the Reggae Girlz, the Sunshine Girls (the national netballers who are competing in the World Netball World Cup in South Africa), and the women’s volleyball team (which won the Cazova Championship on the weekend) have made us very proud and have given us such a special gift as we celebrate our nation’s 61st anniversary of Independence.  We are proud of them.”

Kane Watson and Solesha Young emerged victorious in the respective men’s and women’s open categories at the Jamaican National Senior and Junior Table Tennis Championships held from July 16-17 at the National Indoor Sports Centre.

“We got a record number of entries this year. It was great, the youngsters showed fighting spirit,” said President of the Jamaica Table Tennis Association Andrew Lue.

Watson took home the men’s crown after defeating Christopher Marsh while Rohan Lewis defeated Alphanso Morris for third.

The job was made slightly easier for Watson as defending champion Simon Tomlinson didn’t compete due to personal reasons.

18-year-old Solesha Young won her third women’s open title by beating 14-year-old Tsenaye Lewis while Olivia Petrekin beat Keeara White to take third. Young and Lewis also teamed up to take the crown in women’s doubles.

Lewis was the star of the tournament, however, as she took home the titles in the girls under-15 and under-19 sections as well as the junior girls doubles and junior mixed doubles.

“I’d say she was the outstanding athlete of the championships. She is a prodigy for sure,” said Lue.

The youngest winner of the tournament was eight-year-old William Lei of Supersonic TTC who won the under-9 boys’ category ahead of Jathneil Todd of Infinity TTC and Shacoil Golding of Whitfield Young Stars TTC.

The under-11 boys’ section was won by Ajani Spencer of Hellshire Heights TTC ahead of Anthony Bird Whitfield Young Stars TTC and Ajaani Hall Walfarm TTC.

Logan Royes of SUTTA won the boys’ under-13 section ahead of under-11 winner Spencer and Gmarco Smith of Portsmouth Primary.

Royes was then runner up to Kingston College’s Gari Wythe in the under-15 section while Jamaica College’s Brian Blake was third.

The Boys’ under-19 section was won by Azizi Johnson of Wolmer’s Boys ahead of Kingston College’s Joel Butler and Angels Table Tennis Academy’s Andre Richardson.

Keeara White of Angels Table Tennis Academy, who finished third in the women’s open, won the under-13 title over Kayan Denton of Waterhouse TTC and Abigail Bramwell of Jonathan Grant High.

As mentioned before, Tsenaye Lewis took the under-15 crown ahead of Le-Anna Smith of Angels Table tennis Academy and Karecia Peterkin of Waterhouse TTC and the under-19 title ahead of the Greater Portmore TTC pair of Olivia Petrekin and Janel Blake.

The championships were sponsored by Tastee, Optical Solutions and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

Jamaica’s Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports is backing Netball Jamaica’s hosting of the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifier for the 2023 Netball World Cup to the tune of US$77,000 (JMD$12 million).

Minister Olivia Grange, the official patron of the event, made the announcement at the launch of the qualifier at the NCB Care and Wellness Centre on Phoenix Avenue in Kingston on Thursday.

“The Ministry and its agencies are providing ($JMD1.8M) to Netball Jamaica for team preparation, $2.5m for transportation and will be covering the cost of rental of the National Indoor Sports Centre where the qualifier will take place from October 16 to 21, 2022,” Minister Grange said.

Ten teams will be playing in the Qualifier for the two remaining places in the World Cup. Jamaica has already qualified by virtue of its number four world ranking, a fact of which the minister takes great pride.

“I am proud, all of Jamaica is proud of this first for Netball Jamaica; playing host for the staging of a Netball World Cup Qualifier,” Minister Grange noted.

“History will also be made when the next Netball World Cup, the 16th edition, takes place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, South Africa since it will be the first time that the tournament will be held on the African continent. South Africa has gained a reputation for the staging of world-class events so we can expect something extra special when they host the Netball World Cup.

“The upcoming Qualifier will certainly serve to project Netball Jamaica afresh to the nation.

“I am deeply moved that Netball Jamaica would see fit to honour me by asking me to be Patron for the Americas Netball World Cup Qualifier.

 “So who is a Patron and what is the duty of a Patron? A Patron is a distinguished person who gives financial or other support to a person, organisation, or cause. 

The most effective Patron will have a passion for what the person or organization does. Need I say more?”

The minister also suggested that Netball Jamaica needs to see their value if they are to convince corporate Jamaica to provide the needed support.

“Netball Jamaica will tell you that I have challenged them to reimagine how they see themselves. Their value is great and we need corporate Jamaica to come on board in a greater way to support them. I would love to see partners coming on board to provide a bus, sports gear and all the other services they need because I am sure that our Sunshine girls will give sponsors value for their money!”, she said.

“Sport and the opportunity to participate in sport at all levels is a right that we take seriously. Netball is a favourite pastime in Jamaica and one that is practised from the primary school levels in Jamaica. We know that through the work of the Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) we have netball competitions at the primary level. There is also competition at the high school and tertiary levels.

“We want to see the sport grow in Jamaica and continue to give our girls and yes, boys too, the avenue and outlet to express themselves and dare to dream to play at higher levels.

  “We anticipate that on the final day of the Netball World Cup on August 6, 2023, when Jamaica celebrates its 61st Anniversary of Independence, our Sunshine Girls will be one of the two teams competing for the title and that they will be the new champions of world netball.

 “Netball and our Sunshine Girls have always made us proud.” 

Members of Craig Butler’s Phoenix Football Academy, who play at the national and international level, are likely to be included under Jamaica’s Athletes Insurance Plan, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia Grange announced on Saturday.

The Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) has sought to assure the island’s athletes that it is doing everything possible to facilitate the safe resumption of track and field across the island.

For the most part, all types of track and field competitions across the island have been shuttered since last year, as part of efforts to halt the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

In order to resume, sports administrations must submit a series of plans that illustrate how it is that sporting events will comply with the strict protocols set out by the goverment's Disaster Risk Management orders.

The JAAA, who have submitted the documents, is confident they have put together a strong proposal and pointed to the fact that the proposal has been shared with other North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletic Association (NACAC) members, who are expected to adopt several of the recommendations.

Among the organisations proposals are the provision of COVID protocol marshals, trained by the Ministry of Health and Wellness to oversee competitions and training; hosted sensitisation sessions with coaches, team managers, and athletes, a guide for meet organisers, and a team manual for competitors.

According to the JAAA, they are yet to be given a response from the authorities but have in the meantime urged athletes to continue to prepare for the upcoming season and to continue following the existing protocols.

A special fund to assist former Jamaica’s national representatives who have fallen on the hard times is to be established by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport.

The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange says her ministry will be moving to finalize the transformation and streamlining of the national sports entities during this calendar year.

The national sports entities are the Sports Development Foundation, Independence Park Limited, and the Institute of Sports.

Minister Grange gave the update during a meeting of the Board of Directors of Independence Park Limited on Wednesday. She said the transformation was aimed at creating a more efficient and more effective government sport system.

Minister Grange urged the new board to pick up the pace of project implementation.  She said it was vital that the National Stadium and Trelawny Stadium infrastructure development project, which was affected by delays caused by covid-19 and weather conditions, get back on track as soon as possible.

The proposal for the Redevelopment and Upgrading of the National Stadium and Trelawny Stadium is going through all the required stages of the Public Investment Management Secretariat, including submission of a comprehensive project proposal, architectural drawings and the development of a 5-year Business Plan.

The project is now at the final stage which includes submitting financial projections before it can be recommended to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for funding.

The members of the Board of Independence Park Limited are: Dr. the Honourable Michael Fennell (Chairman), Mr David Shirley (Deputy Chairman), Mrs Annmarie Heron, Assistant Commissioner Terrence Bent, Lieutenant Colonel Dameon Creary, Mr Lenford Salmon, Mr Carlton Dennis, Ms Audrey Chin, Mr Edward Barnes, Dr Peter Charles, Ms Shaneek Clacken, Ms Stefani Dewar, Major Desmon Brown, General Manager (ex officio)

The members have been appointed to serve for two years.  The new board was constituted in keeping with the National Policy for Gender Equality to ensure that a minimum of 30 per cent of either sex makes up the composition of government boards.